Out of Time
by FromTheStars
Summary: Hermione is ripped out of her time and sent to another. What will happen to her and who can she trust?
1. Chapter 1

**This is only my second story and came to me mid sentence as I was focusing on something else (does that happen to everyone or just me?). I wanted to experiment with a time travel story with Hermione, but not as an intentional move or as fate/a higher power sending her back but a freak accident.**

 **Anything you recognise I do not own and I am not making any money by publishing my writing. Please let me know what you think.**

Hermione sighed audibly in the cavernous space that was the Department of Mysteries. The small sound she made was echoed back at her ten-fold making her start from her thoughts.

 _Today is not a good day to be Hermione Granger_ , she decided.

The day had started well, she had awoken feeling well rested and refreshed. She had prepared for work and was eating breakfast when the post owl delivered her paper.

 **WONDERFUL WEASLEY WEDDING** screamed the headline. _Just great,_ thought Hermione, _another reminder that Ron is an immature prat!_ While Hermione had known her and Ron's relationship would not work long term he had not. When they had their eighteenth row in one month Hermione had suggested they take a break and spend some time apart. He, in all his tactless wonder, had been seen with Daphne Greengrass not three days later. Hermione was glad in a way as it meant she didn't have to tell him she was happier without him, but she did wish he'd been more sensitive about the whole situation. Frustrated that work was eluding her Hermione removed her bun and retied her hair. It was still as unmanageable as it had been in school, Harry told her it was characterful. She told him he was crazy.

"Granger!" Came a loud shout.

"Mr Winn"

"I need assistance in the time room, there's something wrong with the time turners and you are the best arithmancer and rune reader we have" Mr Winn the Department Head disembodied voice echoed around the room.

"Of course sir, I'll be right there" she replied immediately.

"NOW Granger – this is an emergency!"

Hermione ran from the room she was in and through the spinning entrance way into the time room. She bypassed security so she wouldn't have to stop and check out a protection cuff.

"What's the matter?"

"We don't know yet Granger," Winn barked at her, "the cabinet started shaking, then the bird in the dome stopped being reborn. All we know is it's big"

"OK, I need to check the stabilising runes in the cabinet base. Higgs, Jenson, you two check the wards. Whatever this is we don't want the whole place down on us." Hermione snapped into command mode and the others jumped to follow her orders.

"Granger, we need to stop this as quickly as we can" Hermione rolled her eyes, some days she wasn't sure how Winn had ever made department head.

"I am fully aware sir, now if you'll let me…" she let the end of the sentence hang between them.

"Right well, get on with it then," Winn blustered at her.

While they were conferring the cabinet gave one last, huge shudder and then was still.

"The problem seems to have passed sir. However, I still want to check those stabilising runes."

"Go ahead Granger, better safe than sorry."

Hermione approached the cabinet. She was confident nothing further would happen, but then you could never be too careful in the magical world. As she opened the panel at the base of the cabinet that covered and protected the runes horror spread over her features. The runes were in smoking ruins. She glanced at Winn and saw her own terror reflected in his features. As she went to back away she felt the room start to shake again.

"Granger MOVE!" Winn bellowed.

His warning came too late as the cabinet exploded, violently flinging the occupants across the room.

Winn was the first to recover consciousness. He checked the others for injuries and helped them to their feet.

"Jenson, where is Granger?"

"I'm not sure sir, sorry" replied Jenson who was a wards expert.

"Sir," Higgs, their resident jack of all trades, piped up, "she came in so fast she didn't put on a cuff"

"What?! That girl! I'll…"

"It is partly you fault sir, you requested her immediate presence and the cuffs take nearly five minutes to check out after that one went missing six years ago. Granger probably thought the risk was minimal"  
"Minimal, we are dealing with time!" Winn lost some of his righteous anger. "We'll need to deal with this internally. We can't bring her back as we don't know when she landed and if we did there's no telling what change she caused just by arriving."

"What do we do then sir?"

"We alter the records and create her a story so if she does appear she can at least live her life. I won't leave one of our own stranded and helpless"

"I know sir"

When Hermione woke she felt like death warmed over. Her head ponded and her mouth felt fuzzy. She sat up and regretted it instantly as the room spun. Groaning she propped herself in the pillows on the bed. Maybe she'd gotten drunk last night because of the wedding. No that didn't feel right.

 _Then what in seven hells happened to me?_ She thought.

At that moment the door to the room opened and a witch walked in with a tray.

"Here you are dear, breakfast and a headache potion as requested last night." The witch started bustling around the room straightening the already immaculate space.

"I'm sorry to trouble you," Hermione started timidly, "but what did I say last night. I'm so woozy I can't seem to remember" While she was woozy, the pain was starting to fade but Hermione did not want to say something to contradict her story from the night before.

"You came in from the Muggle side, said you'd had a near miss with a car. I checked you didn't need St Mungos then Tom and I brought you up here. You asked for breakfast and a headache potion to be delivered in the morning."

"The last thing I remember is….well it's…actually I'm not sure what it is" Hermione frowned her usually perfect memory was failing her now when she needed it most?

"This will help clear your head. Drink it all."

"Thank you…."

"Anne dear, Anne Wood of the Leaky Cauldron. My husband Tom and I run the place."

 _Huh,_ thought Hermione, _I never knew Tom was married, I suppose she stayed hidden during the war_.

"I thought I recognised the place. Have you redecorated Mrs Wood?"

"No dear, not for years, we keep meaning to though."

"I don't suppose you have a paper I could borrow do you?"

"Here you go, just arrived five minutes ago."

Hermione looked down expecting to see a picture of Ron and Daphne splashed across the front page, or at least a mention of them. Instead she saw the dark mark hanging over a muggle building, evil seemed to ooze around the snake and skull motif. Hermione glanced at the date and promptly fainted.

It read 5th May 1978.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Hermione woke with a start. 1978! She was really in 1978, while part of Hermione's mind was reeling the part that had kept her and Harry alive for so long kicked into gear.

 _I need a cover story and it needs to be good, I need to find a job and open a Gringotts account and then I can work out what to do._

Hermione nodded to herself. She had the bare bones of a plan but a cover story would be potentially impossible. She had no records, no birth certificate and the only jobs that would probably hire without seeing her OWL and NEWT scores also probably wouldn't pay very well, or would be shady.

"Are you alright dear? You gave me quite a fright you know." Anne was still in the room with Hermione and looked incredibly worried.

"I'm sure I'll be fine, thank you." Hermione replied politely her mind still half on the major problem at hand.

"This arrived by owl while you were out, it's from the Ministry"

 _The Ministry?! Oh god, how can they have found me already? Calm down Hermione panicking will solve nothing. Read the letter first._

Dear Ms Granger

As you are by now aware a meeting is most urgent to brief you on the current situation. We at the department are most sorry for our part. However, we must speak with you today. Please cite your business as TOP SECRET and your name as JANE SMITH upon arrival and that will see you led to our department. We will meet with you at 11.30am.

Sincerely

Antioch

So they knew she was a time traveller, but had apparently kept it within the department from the letter. Antioch was the code name for the Head of the Department of Mysteries and was used when dealing with new recruits and messages that could be intercepted. She still wondered what they would do to her.

 _Possibly an obliviate so strong I end up sharing a wad with Neville's parents. Not that this is entirely my fault, bloody Winn I told them he would be an unreliable head but he is a good bureaucrat._

As it was nearing her appointment time Hermione hustled Anne out of the room asking if she could stay at least one more night. And then used some freshening charms she had learnt from Ginny and Lavender over the years. They were not a good substitute for a shower but in the time she had she would at least look presentable and not smell.

Once she was done she hid her wand in its holster, she knew that only citing top secret business was under no obligation to surrender their wand and it might help her later.

When Hermione arrived at the visitor's entrance she gave her name and business as she had been requested to do. As the magical lift arrived at the atrium Hermione could see the golden statue in all its glory, she also spied her escort to the department.

 _Good lord, having different coloured robes makes it easy to spot unspeakables a mile off. No wonder we all have to have code names._

The nervous intern led Hermione through corridors that looked both familiar and different at the same time. It was the oddest feeling. Eventually they arrived at the Head of Departments office. She was ushered in and offered tea which she declined gracefully.

The intern left and shut the door behind himself leaving Hermione alone in the room with Antioch.

"Granger good to meet you, my name is Abbott. This is the strangest business I've seen since I became department head and will likely see nothing stranger."

"I doubt you will Madame. This is the strangest thing that's happened to me." _And I've escaped Gringotts on dragon-back!_

"Well this file appeared on my desk this morning, which in itself is not unusual, but when I read it, well it became clear that this is not a usual case of time travel. In 2003, when you disappeared the current department head, who I hope was not me, created a file that would appear when you did. This file indicates that your journey was accidental and to some degree the fault of the departments head. All sounding right so far"

"Well other than the file that sounds like what happened."

"Good, so the 2003 Antioch realised that they'd buggered up your life. Because we don't know what happened we can't reverse it and as it is not entirely your fault it was deemed unethical to obliviate you and have you committed to St Mungos."

"I'm certainly glad about that Madame."

"As I read further so was I, Antioch worked on this for years. Papers have been drawn up, there is a dossier with your cover story, as well as your OWL and NEWT scores. They also had your bank accounts shuffled, with quite a long series of talks with the goblins. They have agreed to open your account with the amount that it contained on the 5th May 2003."

"That is certainly more than I ever expected, Winn certainly pulled through"

"Winn!? That's who the head was, no wonder there was an accident, he is a rubbish intern. Can't even get the tea orders straight. There is one other thing for you, a letter. I'll leave you be for a few minutes and let you get your head round this. I don't want you wondering around until you know who you are supposed to be."

Hermione thanked the department head and asked if she might have some coffee as she'd been so rushed to arrive on time.

"I'll send in Winn hopefully he won't balls this up as well." Hermione smiled at that.

"I told them not to make him department head, but they didn't really want to listen as I'd already turned them down twice."

"I would imagine that you are too sensible to get caught up in department head politics?"

"That and I didn't really want a public position."

"Understandable, ah Winn can you fetch this young lady a cup of coffee please?"

"Certainly Madame," the young intern who'd led her here was practically trembling with fear as he addressed the fearsome department head, "how do you take you coffee miss?"

"Black with sugar please," Hermione smiled at the young man feeling slightly sorry for him.

"I'll leave you to it then Granger please brief me on any pertinent details you feel I may need before you leave."

With that Abbott closed the door to her office and left Hermione with a pile of papers that could solve all her problems. Hermione thought back to her plan of action with her OWLs and NEWTs on record she could find a job and thanks to the generosity of the goblins she would have some time to find one. Hermione opened the dossier to find out what her cover story would limit her to.

Name: Jean Carr

Country of Birth: United States of America

OWLs: 9 Outstanding, 1 Exceeds Expectations (Defence Against the Darks Arts)

NEWTs: 6 Outstanding (including Defence Against the Darks Arts)

Mastery: Arithmancy and Ancient Runes

Previous Occupation: MACUSA Development and Research Department

Known misdemeanours: none

Notes: Carr was born to British parents residing in America, attended Ilvermorny School, speaker for equal rights of witches, wizards and other magical beings. Holds a British/American passport.

 _Well,_ thought Hermione, _at least I'm not too different to who I am now. I wonder what's in the letter._ Hermione opened the envelope and unfolded the parchment quickly glancing at the name at the bottom of the page, it was from Winn.

 _Granger,_

 _Firstly I want to apologise for my part in your accident. I am sorry that we have affected you and so many others so badly. It has been three years since the day you disappeared. In that time I have managed to work out how to send these papers to wherever you turn up but not how to get you back. I know that your gold and qualifications will be of little comfort but I do hope they help make your transition easier._

 _We had to tell your parents and friends that you died in the explosion which happened in the time room. It would be best if you do not contact them and try to change your appearance to some degree._

 _I deposited enough money for you to buy a house from the department budget, the accountants went wild when I wouldn't tell them where it had gone but you will need a secure place and it was the only way I could think of to give it to you._

 _Time has changed just by your appearance, you will know by now my theories of time travel and in fact time itself being more like a tree than a line. Any changes you make will not affect the person you were or the wrongs you helped right at Hogwarts and in the wizarding world._

 _Make me proud Granger!_

 _Winn._

Hermione stared at the letter, she read it again. She checked the date. Then just for good measure she re-read the letter a third time. Slowly a smile spread across her face.

This was not the smile of a happy person but the smile that had, on more than one occasion, sent the Weasley twins running for the hills.

This was the smile of a person who had survive the torture of Bellatrix Lestrange.

This was the smile of the person that would kill Tom Riddle.


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note:**

 **I don't own Harry Potter or any associated characters nor do I make any money from works puplished here.**

 **I have changed the rating due to language and future scenes please be aware of this if you are a returning reader.**

 **Hermione is a bit OOC - if she was a Rowling had written her it would be a very short story mostly with Hermione trying to avoid being spotted or getting obliviated - that won't happen here.**

 **As a thank you for the wonderful reviews of the second chapter and an apology for taking so long to update between chapter 1 and 2 here is Chapter Three. Enjoy!**

Chapter Three

During Hermione's last year at Hogwarts there had been many rumours about her. She had been busy sitting her six NEWTs as well as independently researching History of Magic, Astronomy and Magical theory. So while she listened to the rumours that Ginny told her she would always just smile and turn back to her work.

Of course this did nothing to dispel rumours such that she was having Harry's baby (time did help her out on that one and she did explain to Ginny that it wasn't true) or that she had tortured Bellatrix Lestrange in revenge for Malfoy manor or that she had terrified a group of snatchers so badly they had quit and Voldemort had killed them on the spot.

This had led to Hermione being treated with a strange reverence as she walked around the castle. Even Malfoy stayed out of her way which she was thankful for, although she would quite like to see him as a ferret again one day. Over the course of her sabbatical, as she called it, Hermione had changed. When the Headmistress offered her the Head Girl position she turned it down, claiming t not truly be a seventh year and therefore not eligible. When the child of a death eater tried to curse her in the hallway she forgave their short sightedness and warned them not to do it again. They had tried of course but Hermione was quicker on the draw and they found themselves in the Hospital Wing hurting for a while as Madame Pomfrey dosed them with Skelegrow. They had no memory of how they ended up there as well as an aversion towards Hermione Granger that could not be explained. Oh yes the year Hermione had helped track down Voldemort's soul to kill him piece by piece had changed her. She still loved to read but now it was more politics and law. Hermione Granger wanted to change the world. And now she had been given a change as Jean Carr to do just that.

"…so all in all it's a lovely home with such a wonderful garden. What do you think Miss Carr?"

This was the first house that Hermione had looked around after leaving the Department of Mysteries earlier that morning. It was a chocolate box cottage with a short garden path leading to a painted front door. Hermione had been reminiscing so much she hadn't really taken note of the inside. _Oh well if I don't like it I can always decorate while waiting for Riddle to fuck up badly enough that I catch him._

"It will be perfect, can I collect the keys this afternoon?"

"Indeed you can I will just need you to sign some paperwork at the office."

"Will 2 O'clock be alright?"

"Absolutely fine Miss Carr. I'll see you there."

Hermione took one last look around her new home and smiled. It certainly wasn't the grand base of operations Riddle was sure to have but no one would suspect the two bedroom cottage as being the hub of the resistance against him. Smiling Hermione disappeared with a _pop_.

She reappeared in Diagon Alley and made her way to the bank. If she was going to defy Riddle she would need a warding system far beyond her capabilities. And she know that the goblins at the bank could supply her with those.

Looking around as she strolled down the sunny street Hermione could see that Voldemort already had too much over these people. Shops asked you to knock the door for service. Witches and wizards scurried busily from place to place as quickly as possible with their heads bowed, not meeting anyone in the eye.

Entering the bank Hermione made her way over to the nearest teller.

"Good afternnon, I wish to make a withdrawal and speak to someone about warding my home if it isn't too much trouble"

"Madam, we can have Snarktooth assist you at once if I can just see your key?"

Hermione silently handed over her vault key, her eyes darted from side to side as if watching for danger and despite being in the goblin bank her right hand was curled around her wand.

"This all appears to be in order, if you could follow Snarktooth? He will take you to see the warders after the visit to your vault."

Hermione inclined her head to the goblin as she voiced her thanks. She follows the short squat goblin out of the main atrium and towards the vaults. She found her mind wondering as to what she should do after having the wards set. Insider information from the Dumbledore and Riddle would be needed. She would also need to work out just how many Horcruxes Riddle currently had.

 _Although if I kill Riddle now and clean up the death eaters I'll have a lot more time to find the horcruxes. Also if I can keep Trelawney from Dumbledore she might never make the prophecy. Bloody waste of time Divination a woollier subject I have never come across and I've worked with people who keep brains in a tank for heaven's sake!_

"Vault two hundred and forty-five" intoned the goblin.

"My thanks, I won't be long."

"Take as long as you need madam."

 _Really goblins aren't so bad as long as you are polite to them, no wonder the Malfoys always had problems with them._

Hermione stepped into her vault and quickly amended the paperwork so that she would be able to make transfers. She then took two pouches filled with gold and watched as the records updated themselves. Seeing that everything was in order Hermione left the vault and re-entered the spinning cart _Gods I hate these things!_ With that they were off, zipping and spinning through the bowels of the safest bank in the magical world. Hermione felt her stomach turn but refused to lose her lunch. Luckily she had remembered how badly cart travel affected her and had a stomach soother in her bag but it would do her no good until they stopped.

"Warders Offices, from her someone can show you the exit to the atrium."

Hermione once more thanked the Goblin and stood from the cart. Once on solid ground she opened her bag, rootled around and then chugged the pale pink stomach soother that tasted like peppermint. Waiting for a moment to let the potion take effect Hermione then straightened her shoulders and entered the offices.

"Good afternoon, I wish to have my house warded." She smiled at the goblin on the reception desk.

"Basic, standard or elite level?" Asked the bored looking goblin.

"I was hoping for something a little more…robust if possible?"

"Robust?"

"Hmm you know something that could keep out a certain dark lord and his followers should they ever think they need to come round for afternoon tea."

"We can certainly provide the service madam, but the cost just to ensure ones home is safe…"

"But it is not just the homes he's destroying is it? People are being murdered unable to escape thanks to the anti-apparition and portkey wards that they are using. I don't much care to die in my sleep while my house burns down around me so something more robust is going to be needed."

"As you wish madam, please follow me."

Hermione followed the goblin passing door upon door until they reached the end. The plaque on the door read; _Hookhand Chief Warder_. Hermione nodded to herself here was someone who would get her job done.

"Hookhand a Miss Carr for you she would like something more robust…"

"Send her in"

Hermione entered the office and waited to be offered a chair. Hookhand gestured impatiently and she sat down watching the goblin finish the current paperwork.

"So Miss Carr you are not happy with the current wards on your home?"

"Can't say that I am, I purchased it today and it hasn't got any."

"Well at least that makes a bit more sense. Our current warding schemes would not offer enough protection?"

"Well no not really."

"What do you plan on doing that would bring the dark lord calling round for afternoon tea as you put it?"

"Well nothing yet but as a muggleborn I doubt he'll need much more than that, will he?"

"Unfortunately you are correct did you have anything in mind or were you going to throw money at the problem and hope it goes away?"

"I have a ward scheme designed that would hinge on forty-nine ward stones around the property spaced evenly apart with a further ward stone in the centre of the basement that I can activate more wards from. The basics will prevent anyone not on my list from entering and stop those that are on one list from performing magic while the others may perform certain spells. They will also include the fidelious charm, muggle repelling wards, provide safety from fire and water damage as well as stop anti-apparition, floo and portkey wards being placed over the top of them."

"If this is your everyday ward scheme what will the optional wards do?" The goblin looked impressed so Hermione continued.

"Several option will be open to me under the case of an attack. Firstly would be to warn the Auror department and then enchant the furniture to become hardened and attack anyone not on either list. Then there are the wards against bombs and bombardment hexes this would be for if the death nibblers weren't brave enough to come in through the front door. Then there is the last option which would take myself and any named on my list to a location here in Gringotts and as soon as a critical amount of hostiles were in the house it would explode with the force of a nuclear bomb."

"I would hope that this action were never necessary Miss Carr."

"Be that as it may these are the wards that I wish to have plus anything you feel I have missed out. Other than the secure room at Gringotts and the fact it would take be weeks to source the stones and carve them I would do it myself but the sooner my home and I are protected the sooner I can get on with business."

"We can have this done by tomorrow afternoon at the latest, would that suffice."

"It will I have my room rented for another night anyway so will stay there until tomorrow."

The goblin drew up the contracts, which Hermione then signed. She sighed at the cost but knew it would take too long to complete her comprehensive ward scheme alone.

"If I may ask Miss Carr what business are you in?"

"I can't say yet, but I'm sure you'll hear about it."

With that Hermione swept out of the office and wondered back to the Leaky wondering if Anne would let her raid the kitchens for chocolate.


End file.
